AeA's Intervention

RASS started a project named 'Orissa Tribal Development Project' in Koraput district of Orissa in partnership with Aide et Action in 1997. The goal of the project is- 

• Universalisation of elementary education

• Sustainable community owned programmes

Location and Coverage

Objectives

• Organizing for capacity building to empower people particularly women, children and other vulnerable section to protect their legitimate rights

• Mobilising people's power and to initiate action against poverty through popular participation and popular governance

• Networking with individuals, organisation and institutions

• Increasing the income level of poor families by organizing women into sustainable groups and to enhance their capabilities through capacity building programmes

• Acting as link between the government and the people so that the assistance of the government reaches those for whom it is intended

• Generating objective and reliable information on developmental issues through research and publication

Major Accomplishments

• Ensured accessibility to 5961 eligible school going children from 204 villages in the project area

• Acted as a link between the government and the people to facilitate Rs. 1,717,680/- amount of assistance of the government reached to those it was intended

• Mobilized people power and initiated action against poverty through participation and networking with individuals or institutions to promote human development

• Constituted 229 community-based originations and enhanced their capabilities through capacity building programmes

• 172 Self Help Groups have already been formed and linked to banks. These Self Help Groups received Rs. 1,352,500/- as financial assistance from the banks

• 2 RASS school supported by AeA have been taken over by Government

• Linkage with government established and MDM are being provided by the government to 36 RASS schools

• 11 schools run by RASS have obtained state government recognition

• State government accorded certificate to the organisation as best facilitation NGO in the district

• 13 Federation bodies of Village Education Development Committee and Women Self Help Groups were formed at project level

Specific to 2005 

• Strengthening 229 committees formed and strengthened at the village level through gram sabha/ village level meetings

• Successfully advocated for government takeover of 11 schools established

• Generated Rs. 1,352,500/- through credit linkages for women Self Help Groups

• Developed special packages to tackle social issues of women Self Help Groups

• Developed village wise programme sustainability strategies with the community

Main Activities for 2006

Quality Education

• Strengthening Village Education Development Committees for preparing village education report, school improvement plans and active participation in education programmes

• Involvement of Village Education Development Committees in school management and supervision with the help of larger community

• Organise workshop with Panchayat Raj Institutions, community, school teachers to develop school improvement plans and mobilise resources for the same

• Set up and activate pre schools

• Set-up children's clubs to explore alternative learning areas

• Train youth for developing school improvement plans

Livelihoods Education

• Conducted survey in 204 villages and prepare a plan for farm and off farm based activities

• Identify potential farm and off farm based activities

• Initiate 3 pilot projects through Self Help Groups in project villages

• Financial linkages with government and banks or other institutions for the pilot activities

• Provide technical support to pilots activities

• Upscale successful pilots in all villages through support from government and banks

• Sensitise staff on livelihoods activities

Inclusive Education

• Survey and identification of children with disabilities

• To help children with disabilities in getting certification and avail benefits and concessions

• Training of teachers, anganwadi workers and parents on techniques to handle children with disabilities

• Link children with disability to mainstream schools

• Extend necessary support for the persons with disabilities to get support from the sources such as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and District Disability Rehabilitation Center

Women's Empowerment and Education

• Formation of Self Help Groups in villages with women who still are not members of Self Help Groups

• Formation of village organisations

• Strengthening Self Help Groups through capacity building

• Self Help Groups linked with livelihood education

• 125 centres have been proposed to the government for women's literacy in the area. (50 centres have already been initiated)

• Training on leadership and health issues for 50 Self Help Groups

• Technical and financial assistance from banks and other agencies for 50 Self Help Groups amounting to Rs.1,000,000/-

• Involve Self Help Groups in social issues and train them on issues such as health

• Federating Self Help Groups

Resource Mobilisation

• Interface meeting at district level to converge initiatives of government, financial institutions and other agencies 

• Preparation of communication material / brouchers

• Workshop with support of AeA

• Preparation of project proposals

Success Stories

The Little Practitioner

Suneel Khora, a student of 5th std. in the school of Pradhaniput, (a small village in the state of (Orissa) is the pride of his parents and teachers. Until 4 years back although his parents Chandra Khora (farmer) and Dasu Khora (house wife), both illiterate, wanted to send their children to school, but knew that the govt. school in their village was a school in name only. The nearest school was 4 km away on the other side of the river, therefore nearly impossible for the small children to go. 

Inspite of these obstacles, Suneel, fascinated by school, decided to take things in his own hands. At the age of 8, his desire to learn motivated him to go to Pradhaniput, where RASS (NGO partner of AeA in Orissa) had opened up a school some time back. From his village to Pradhaniput Suneel had to take 4 km of unpaved route and had to cross a small river, which was not easy especially during monsoons. But his dream to be able to read and write and his fascination for mathematics and English gave him the courage to continue.

The first from his village to go to school, Suneel soon encouraged the other children of his village to join him. Now in std. 5, Suneel accompanies 28 children of his village to Pradhaniput school every day. Each morning he waits for them at a predecided place from where they continue together for school. Incase of any absentee, Suneel verifies if there is a valid reason or not and tries to convince the absentees to join them. In the evening all the children get together at Suneel's place to do their homework. 

Motivated by the children's initiative, some habitants of Podaising village contacted the govt. authorities and as a result of their efforts, the govt. school in their village has been reopened. Today the small children of Podaising, including the younger sister of Suneel, don't have to walk 4 km each morning and each evening to have access to school. 

Coming from a family where nobody was literate, from a community whose priorities don't include education, it was far from easy for Suneel to begin and continue his studies and help his parents in their work as well. Despite all the problems he continued and succeeded. After 4 years, at the age of 12 Suneel is already a leader of the children of his village. 

He speaks confidently of his plans to continue his studies at Kularsing, the nearest residential school and of teaching in the school of his own village one day.